Gas control valve



' Dec. 2 3 1941.

as CONTROL. VALVE Filed March 6, 1939 lev /2 i 2 s l- 4 5 l4 4; /5 a 1l6 l2 y Musk B. Mums;

1 INVENTOR BY Cwzfm ATTORNEY w. B. WALTERS 2,266,943

like, and may even extend to acetylene welding equipment. In fact, thedevice herein described comprehends a combination of elementscontemplated to be adapted to the control of fluids conventionallyemployed for fuel utilized in any known scope of domestic or commercialadaptation.

Accordingly, therefore, the invention is primarily comprised of a mainbody casting I having an inlet passage 2 and an outlet passage 3, asillustrated in Figure 1, having a communication 4 therebetween. The bodymember I is so constructed as to define a throat passage 5 extendingfrom the inlet passage 2 and terminating within the chamber 6 throughthe bottom of which the communication 4 is arranged. A well I is definedwithin the body member I immediately beneath the communication 4 andforms a continuation of the outlet passage 3. v

The body member I is so formed as to define a circular threaded shoulder8 which receives a housing 9 providing a chamber I therein. The housing9 is preferably cup-shaped and inverted and threaded to the member I ata upon the threaded shoulder 8 of the member I. p v

In Figure 2 the well I is shown to be substantially circular and thethroat passage extends thereinto while the chamber 6 projects laterallyfrom the throat 5 over the well I. The throat 5, the chamber 6 and thewell I are integral with the body member I and preferably cast together.

The well I is formed on the body member I in such a manner as to providea shoulder btherearound and consequently defines an annular receptacle cexternally of the well I and within the walls of the housing 9 when thelatter is adjusted in the manner illustrated in Figure 1. An invertedcup II is arranged within the housing 9, its lower end adapted to reposewithin the annular receptacle 0 and in concentric relationship to thewell I. The inverted cup II, hereinafter referred to as a diaphragm, isconnected through the medium of a yoke I2 to a closure I3'adapted toengage the seat 0 through the communication or aperture 4 between thepassages 2 and 3. The closure I3 is threaded upon the upper end of astem I4 whose lowermost end is providedwith a socket I5 receiving a ballcoupling I6 integral with a downwardly projecting stem I! which isconnected through the medium of lock nuts I8 which latter afiord anadjustment for the stein [1 with respect to the yoke l2 carrying thesame. The yoke I2 is secured-to the under side of the top of thediaphragm I I through the medium of a stem I9 which projects upwardlyfrom the diaphragm II through an aperture 20in the top of the housing 9and whose upper end is proany conventional method of attachment whichmay be considered convenient and expedient.

As previously stated, the herein described invention is designed for thepurpose of regulating and interrupting the flow of gas through theservice line in which it is installed, such installations being madebetween the source and the appliance through which the fuel is consumed.The purpose, therefore, of the diaphragm II and the closure I3 is thatof shutting off or restricting the passage of gas between the inletpassage 2 and the outlet passage 3 hereinbefore mentioned. Obviously,while the closure I3 is in engagement with the seat d in thecommunication 4 between the passages 2 and 3 gases will not pass throughthe assembly but when the cap 26 is removed and the diaphragm II and theclosure I3 are raised through the medium of the stem I9 by grasping theupwardly projecting pin 23 integral with the upper end thereof gaspressure entering the inlet passage 2 will pass through thecommunication 4 and out through the outlet passage 3, the pressuretraveling through the assembly building up within the diaphragm II andacting thereupon to retain the same in an uplifted or floating positionmaintaining the closure I3 off its seat 11 and permitting the continuousflow of gas through the valve.

A quantity of liquid, such as mercury, or the like, of a charactersuitable for the purpose, is

disposed within the annular receptacle 0 surrounding the well Iafiording a seal around the lowermost rim of the diaphragm II which, aspreviously described, extends downwardly into the receptacle 0. Thus, asthe fluid passes .through the assembly a pressure will be mainis, shouldit increase or decrease, the diaphragm II will be moved proportionatelyand in the event an excess pressure prevails at the source the diaphragmII will be raised against the seal:-

ing'ring 21 fixed to the under side of the top of the housing 9 andwhich will prevent the passage of the sealing liquid within the annularreceptacle c from being expelled by such excess pressure through theaperture 20 in the top of the housing 9 surrounding the stem I9 whichprojects therethrough.

- While it is contemplated that all gaspressures from the source, oncepredetermined, will remain constant his very probable that suchpressures will varyand therefore present a problem which mustbe met andconsequently controlled. The upper end of the stem I9 projecting throughthe top of the housing 9 has been previously described as having anannular flange 20, a head member 22 and an upwardly projecting pin 23.This assembly is so designed as to provide a governor arrangement forthe diaphragm II which consists of a'series of weights 28 of dififerentsizes which may be picked up. successively by the head member 2I and theflange 20 as the stem I9 is raised by the gas pressures beneath the'diaphragm II. Any number of the weights 28 may be supplied and any formof the integral portions of theupper end of the stem I9 may be employedto successively engage and pickup the said weights, only two of whichare herein shown and described.

The closure I3, by reason of its peculiar shape, is adapted to engagethe seat d in the aperture 4 at any angle and to seek its seatautomatically.

This is expedited through the provision of the ball and socketconnection I5 and It with the supporting stem II which in turn isconnected through the lock nuts I8 to the yoke I2 which is secured tothe diaphragm II. The movement of the closure I3 may be controlled byadjusting the same through the lock nuts I8 on the stem H to effect theproper closing of the aperture 4.

In providing a regulator or control medium for the flow of gas throughthe service line the pressure on the outlet side of the assembly throughthe outlet passage 3 balanced through the action of the velocity of thefluid through the valve acting upon the closure I3 and the member I5 asit flows through the aperture 4. When the pressure exceeds apredetermined value on the outlet side of the aperture 4 and within thediaphragm II the member I5 is drawn upwardly against the lower side ofthe seat :1 in the aperture 4 restricting the further passage of thefuel therethrough allowing the diaphragm II to descend to the properlevel to aflford a maximum clearance through the communication 4.Therefore, a constant pressure is maintained on each side of the valveelement. The pressure of only a very few ounces is ordinarily themaximum required for domestic consumption but such pressures may be verymuch greater depending upon the use for which the device is employed,that is, whether it be employed for the regulation and control of gasesutilized for domestic or commercial fuels or whether the same beemployed for the purpose of controlling the flow of gases under pressurein refineries, or the like.

In operation, therefore, the fluid enters the valve through the inletpassage 2 and passes up wardly through the throat 5 into the chamber 6.Obviously, while the closure I3 rests upon the seat d the passage of thefluid is arrested and cannot reach the appliance through the outletpassage 3. When the cap 26 is removed, however, and the closure I3 israised from its seat by manually operating the stem I9, which operationalso raises the diaphragm II, the flow of the gas will proceed throughthe communication 4 into the diaphragm II and out through the well I andthe outlet passage 3 to the appliance, and such flow will continue dueto the pressure within the diaphragm II which buoys the same holding theclosure I3 05: its seat d, the liquid seal around the lowermost rim ofthe diaphragm II in the annular receptacle preventing the pressure fromescaping from within the diaphragm II and, although fluidmay be expelledfrom the receptacle 0, such liquid cannot be expelled from the housing 9by reason of the circular sealing ring 21 within the top of the saidhousing 9.

Should the volume pressure of the gas be abnormally increased for anyreason the member I opposite the closure I3 on the stem I4 will restrictthe aperture 4 sufliciently to prevent such excess pressure affectingthe appliance through the passage 3 and maintain a substantiallyconstant pressure on the discharge side of the valve within thediaphragm II, the operation of both the closure I3 and the member I5with respect to the seats d of the communication 4 being determined bythe adjustment provided through the medium of the lock nuts I8 on thelowermost end of the stem II. The closure I3 may be inserted through thechamber 6 and positioned within the aperture 4 through an opening closedby a plug 28 threaded therein in the top of the chamber 6.

Conventional methods of attaching appliances to service lines include,in some instances, a flexible connection such as a rubebr hose, or the alike, whose ends are pressed on over nozzles integral with petcocks orvalves secured to the ends of service lines and to the appliances. Suchconnections are often hazardous due to accidental disconnection orleakage and it is desirable to provide such a valve as herein describedto automatically shut 01f the passage of such gases when the connectionsreferred to are broken.

Naturally, the pressures on the outlet side of the valve will be rapidlydissipated allowing the diaphragm I I to descend suddenly closing thevalve by seating the closure I3 in the aperture 4 requiring the manualmanipulation of the same, in the manner previously described, to againopen the said valve for the resumption of the interrupted flow. Thus,the assembly presents both shut-off and pressure control mediumeliminating many ordinary dangerous hazards.

Although the invention has been described with great particularity, itis obvious that certaln changes and modifications in structure anddesign may be resorted to by those skilled in the art and such changesand modifications which may be resorted from time to time and which maybe considered within the spirit and intent of the invention may also beconsidered as falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a valve for regulating gas pressures including a body having inletand outlet chambers, a

4 communication between the said chambers and a valve element adapted toclose the said communication, a threaded shoulder on the upper portionof the said body, a hood adapted to be secured to the said shoulderenclosing the said valve and forming a sealing chamber, an upwardlyprojecting portion of the said body defining a well and a part of thesaid outlet chamber, an annular receptacle formed between the said welland the walls of the said hood upon the said shoulder, a sealing liquidin the said receptacle, an inverted cup enclosing the said valve withinthe said hood and having its lower rim extending into the saidreceptacle and the said liquid, a yoke member providing a flexibleconnection between the said cup and the said valve, by reason of a balland socket structure at its juncture with the latter, whereby the latteris actuated by pressures exerted within the said cup and the said outletchamber.

WALTER B. WALTERS.

